


That's Incentive

by lunarschemer



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Accidental Stimulation, Fluff, M/M, Shukita - Freeform, Unresolved Sexual Tension, boyfriends....
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-03
Updated: 2017-05-03
Packaged: 2018-10-27 06:16:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10803456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunarschemer/pseuds/lunarschemer
Summary: The first week was wonderful. Sure the attic was a bit musty and the couch was dingy at best, but filling up a room together sounded like fun.





	That's Incentive

**Author's Note:**

> Yusuke decides to live with Akira instead of going back to his dorms. Things become comfortable, and Akira helps provide some inspiration.

The first week was wonderful. Sure the attic was a bit musty and the couch was dingy at best, but filling up a room together sounded like fun. Akira offered to buy Yusuke a futon himself, but the determined painter claimed that he would earn his keep, as well as the respect of Akira’s guardian. Working at the café every now and again wasn’t taxing or stressful. The customers were few and far between and most of them were regulars. There would be the rare straggler every now and again but for the most part, Yusuke had plenty of time to learn how to make a mean cup of coffee. He learned the different types and flavors, sweet and bitter, he could even differentiate certain aromas.

He spiced things up by doing designs in the coffee foam like higher end cafes. Sojiro seemed to scoff at that idea at first, but it took eventually. He seemed to have a soft spot for the earnest kid and his ideas.

The start of the second week, Yusuke woke up on the couch that had now melded to his form. He watched the particles of dust float to and fro in the morning light that came through the window. They fell on Akira’s face like a thinly woven golden veil. He smiled softly to himself. As always, he could not wake his friend. Disturbing something that picture perfect would be a crime against art.

Instead, he sat up slowly and grabbed his sketchbook from behind the couch cushion. Opening to a fresh page, he began to quickly sketch out the display. An unaware Akira in a dusty room, sleeping peacefully with soft breaths escaping – yes, the picture was taking shape. He’d sketched like this nearly every morning trying to capture what he saw with his own eyes… but there was always something off about his sketches. He wanted it to be perfect, like Sayuri. He wanted the emotion to be there, but something was just missing.

He decided to draw Morgana after awhile, the only one who knew about his morning activity. He turned the sketchbook towards him when he was finished, and laughed at the cat’s exuberant declarations of favor. Then, he kindly asked Morgana to leave. He was met with a skeptical stare but wasn’t questioned. When he was alone, he leaned further back on the couch and sighed long and heavy.

He liked Akira. He really liked him. He was able to appreciate the beauty in almost any human, some more flawless than others. He couldn’t find a single flaw in Ann, truly the most beautiful woman that he’d ever seen. Other than his mother of course, but their types of beauty were by far more different compared side by side. Each person was special. But when he looked at Akira, he didn’t feel the same. There wasn’t really anything aesthetically appealing about him. His hair was messy, his body was thin, and his skin was pale. He dressed like any other hipster that could be seen on the street of Shibuya and yet.

And yet.

He was completely and utterly drawn to him. It was the little things. The look in his eyes when he was passionate, the icy stare when he was pensive. The clenching of his teeth when his lips parted during a triumphant, confident, grin. Akira was encouraging to him, found time for him, and indulged him. He dealt with – or maybe even liked – his eccentric personality.

Akira was different. And it wasn’t explainable. He wondered if that was the reason stopping him from sketching or painting him properly. He gasped suddenly then, having a revelation. What if Akira agreed to be his canvas? Artists did that sometimes. He’d seen beautiful murals on the bodies of people willing… or bribed for all he knew, to wear their paint from head to toe. Would Akira really agree to something like that? Well, there was only one way to find out…

Almost as if his thoughts were heard, Akira began stirring in his bed, soon yawning sleepily and stretching out all his kinks. Yusuke crossed one leg over the other and used his fingers to form a frame around this image with a gentle smile.

Akira grabbed his glasses off the window sill and then laughed after he put them on– it was low volume.

“What are you doing, Yusuke?”

“Hold that pose – Ah, yes that’s perfect. Your hair tussled from wrestling with your dreams. I swear sometimes you go to another world with the way you toss and turn,” Yusuke said as he brought his hands down and grabbed his sketchbook, rising and making his way over to his best friend and crush.

He sat down next to Akira who shifted into a sitting position himself.

“I drew some sketches of you and Morgana,” He admitted, his breath hitching when Akira leaned closer to him to take a look. He hadn’t intended to show him, but something about today felt right.

“So that’s what I look like when I’m sleeping. Kinda creepy. Knowing someone was watching,” Akira grinned and looked up at him.

“But the likeness is uncanny. It’s almost like you’re out of your slump now.”

Yusuke smiled and closed his sketchbook at the compliment.

“It’s easy to draw still-life. But it needs to have emotion too… did you see any semblance of emotion in those few sketches?”

It seemed Akira was contemplating his answer then.

“Yeah. It was like Sayuri’s expression in the true painting. There was some sort of fluidity in those sketches that worked.”

Yusuke was surprised to hear something so analytical from him but was grateful. This raw opinion from his friend would serve as valuable information towards improvement.

“You know, Akira… I’ve been dabbling with an idea. I’ve grown rather tired of dull, blank canvases. It’s hard to find inspiration with this media,” He said. Akira nodded in understanding.

“Are you going to try ceramics or paper cutting or something?”

Yusuke chuckled at those suggestions.

“Not likely. I still want to paint but, I want the canvas to mean something to me. I think it would help reflect the piece that’s really in my heart.” He looked over at Akira, his bangs that were normally so well in place showing his full face, falling down just a bit as he leaned over.

“I want to paint a mural. But I want you to be the canvas.” Yusuke was nervous about Akira’s reaction. Typically, his friend went along with whatever creative idea he had without a complaint. Sometimes, he even seemed to have more fun than he was letting on. While these ideas were often deemed ridiculous by other people, Akira genuinely indulged him.

“Me? My entire body or just…” Akira's voice remained unreadable. Yusuke blushed and jumped back a bit.

“W-whatever you would be comfortable with. I’ve seen artists paint entire bodies into fascinating works of art – not that the naked form isn’t a work of art in itself already,” He was speaking with a hurried voice now, unable to save himself from being awkward.

“Let’s do it.”

“Ah- really? You said that with true conviction!”

“It sounds like it could be fun. Besides, if it takes you out of your slump you’ll get into a good line of work, right? I can’t say no to that.”

Yusuke looked delighted, and truly he was grateful for Akira’s willingness to be patient with his wild imagination.

“We can start tomorrow if you like. I’ll have to get some supplies… a tarp perhaps, to not muddle up your room. Something to lay your head on, so that you’re comfortable. Sealant for the paints and…” He started to trail off then, letting his thoughts pick up where his words left off. Sometime during their conversation, Morgana had returned. Yusuke could feel Morgana’s intense stare on him then and shot him a glance.

“Morgana, you’ll have to give us our privacy tomorrow,” Yusuke said.

The cat seemed to give a knowing grin and then stopped when Yusuke’s eyes narrowed to a glare. Morgana agreed to go exploring, maybe find Lady Ann or some food to entertain himself with. Akira also agreed to help Yusuke with the shopping. Since he was the subject, he should have some say in what he needed to remain relaxed.  They decided to start the painting tomorrow but wanted to knock the shopping portion out that day.

They came downstairs together greeted by Sojiro, who they helped during the morning and the afternoon ‘rush’. It seemed they enjoyed Yusuke’s café art as it brought a flare along with the taste. Word had started to spread about it too, drawing in a few new customers. He didn’t really try too hard as it was obvious to him at least, that Sojiro preferred the normalcy of the way things were at Leblanc.

Once they finished they hung up their aprons and waved good-bye to Sojiro. The bell they installed on the top of the door tinkled gently as they left. That had been Yusuke’s idea too. They head to the underground mall in Shibuya for supplies, running into Ann on her usual shopping run on the way.

Greeting her happily, she decided to tag along. Akira mentioned he was helping Yusuke with an art project, but neither of them was willing to tell her what that really entailed. They went to various shops with different supplies and one hole in the wall place specifically for art. Ann went wild in picking out her favorite colors, and though they weren’t what Yusuke had entirely in mind, he accepted them cheerfully though he also picked his poison.

It was evening by the time they finished. Ann helped carry the paints, while Akira handled the tarp. Yusuke had several bags on his arms with various brushes, sponges, and other tools he thought he needed. When they came into Leblanc, Sojiro was closing down.

“You kids doing a project or something?” The older man asked, and the three of them nodded.

Akira was grateful that he didn’t ask more questions but then, he wasn’t really the prying type. He allowed them to do whatever they wanted as long as they stayed out of trouble and kept their noses in their own business. They’d failed at that sometimes, but what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. They waved him off after promising they would lock the shop up after Ann departed.

“Soooo you guys still haven’t told me what your art project REALLY is,” She said, while they placed everything on Akira’s empty shelves.

“Well. It’s sort of a surprise I guess,” Akira said.

“Ah, yes. Simply because… I’m not sure what the result will be yet. I’m going in blindly, hoping to get it flowing once I begin,” Yusuke added, and Ann nodded.

“Are you painting Akira’s walls or something? It’d really bring something nice to this room.”

Yusuke and Akira looked at each other, smiling. Ann had created the perfect lie for them, and so they went with it.

“Well, you caught us, Ann. “

This of course meant… they actually would have to paint them later. Since it was just an attic, Akira was sure that Sojiro wouldn’t mind. He certainly didn’t mind the chocolate fountain. He’d raised an eyebrow at it but didn’t question.

They chatted for awhile longer and made a quick meal to eat together before saying goodbye. Ann made them vow to show the walls off when they were completed.

“Oh- Ann? Could you take Morgana with you? It’s a surprise and all…” Akira asked with a sheepish grin.

Morgana leaped up towards Ann and she caught him in her arms with a light gasp.

“Wow… not even he gets to know? I guess that’d be okay.”

“We’ll have so much fun! How about a sushi date?” Morgana said immediately after she had spoken, and was met with a sigh.

“We can get sushi if you hide in my bag… but it’s not a date. I’m not going on a date with a cat!”

Yusuke and Akira chuckled as Morgana mumbled something about really being a human, and then showed them out. After locking up as promised, they head upstairs and Akira flipped off the light.

“We should really see about getting you a futon. I feel bad that you’re always on the couch. It’s really not that great…” Akira said, crawling into his own battered up bed that wasn’t much better.

“Maybe we both need new places to sleep,” Yusuke said, lying back on the couch.

He had no complaints about it really, he made it work. He even got some of the lumps to meld around him in more comfortable ways.

“Yeah, maybe… we blew all our money on supplies. And before that, it was food. And before that it was…” Akira was rambling, but Yusuke didn’t mind.

He let his words lull him into a light sleep until he faded away altogether. Akira didn’t notice until a faint snore interrupted his speech which got a huff, but then a smile. It seemed he always talked more than necessary around Yusuke. With this thought in his head, he had a restful sleep this time.

 

* * *

 

Early to rise, Yusuke and Akira made their way downstairs to have cups of coffee of their own before helping Sojiro open up like always. They quit for the day a bit earlier than normal, so that they would have the rest of the day for their project. Sojiro was more lenient and less grumpy when this was the case. There seemed to be a slight tension as they walked up the stairs. Akira was really going to bare himself to Yusuke and Yusuke was really going to paint on him.

“You… made sure the paints aren’t toxic right?” Akira asked while Yusuke shut the door behind them, locking it by pushing the door knob in and turning it just in case.

“Yes, I was specifically careful about that. The last thing I would want to do is cause harm to your skin,” He said honestly.

They wordlessly went to the tarp and helped each other lay it out evenly across the floor. Yusuke stared at it pensively for a while, before speaking.

“I think I will have you lay on your back first. If I can paint the front of you, then you can sit for your back and - erm, stand for the rest. Is that acceptable?”

Akira nodded his head in agreement, and then brought his hands to the buttons on his shirt and began to undo them. The way Yusuke watched without tearing his eyes away, made him feel a little nervous but also a little excited. He tossed his button up shirt aside and then moved on to his pants. He noticed Yusuke still hadn’t looked away – but it wasn’t an intense stare. He seemed to be observing him in a way that an artist truly would, and it put him at ease as he stepped out of his pants and tossed those aside as well.

 It wasn’t like Yusuke hadn’t seen him naked before, they’d used the public baths together on several occasions. But… there was something a bit intimate about this setting.

At last sliding his boxers off, he tossed those too and laid down on the tarp across the floor. It wasn’t the most comfortable feeling, but he could deal. He had mind enough to get a flat pillow for his head.

Yusuke gulped and turned to the shelf to grab his supplies. He laid them all out within reach beside Akira, and then he placed himself next to them as he chose his first brush. He’d brought up water in a jug from downstairs and put it in several separate bowls for him to use to his liking. He dipped the brush in one and then chose his first color. It was a dark brown that almost looked black, but this was merely for the outline of the first design he had in mind.

He started to paint smooth lines starting at Akira’s collar bone. The strokes dipped lower, and then came back up again.

There was light laughter.

“A-ah Akira! You have to stay still for this,” He scolded gently, smiling.

“Sorry. I’m not used to the brush bristles yet.” Akira tensed a bit and sighed, relaxing his body as Yusuke continued his outlines.

 It took some time, but he made something he was satisfied with, going lower on Akira’s body. He paused just beneath his rib cage.

“I suppose I shall brace myself for your fits of laughter if I paint across your stomach?”

“I can’t promise I can keep still for that one,” Akira said though he wasn’t exactly sure if he was ticklish there. No one had ever touched there before so he had no way of knowing. He was a bit more used to the feel of the brush up above at least, so he hoped that would help him prepare for the next bit.

Yusuke first used a wet brush devoid of paint, to make invisible lines across his stomach as a test. Akira did tense a bit, he squirmed – but he didn’t laugh. That answered the ticklish question. He made a few more lines before dipping it in the paint again and continuing his base. Again it took time, but there was quite the meticulous design across Akira’s stomach when Yusuke was finished. He sat back a bit to admire his work.

“I’m pleased so far,” Yusuke said. “I’ll continue if you’re ready.”

Akira simply nodded.

Yusuke started at the top of Akira’s inner thigh and felt a shudder. He paused for a moment, hoping it wasn’t an unpleasant one. Hearing no protest he began painting again, swirling and dotting and swiping the brush in the appropriate places. He moved more and more inward on Akira’s thigh, wondering if he had imagined the other boy's breath hitch when he got to the ending point. Yusuke repeated his action on the other thigh and then blushed brightly when he turned to face Akira again. He’d been so into his work he hadn’t noticed anything else but…

Akira was erect now. His cock jutted proudly between his legs, and his eyes were closed, his breaths coming out shallowly. Yusuke’s first thought was that this made it much easier to paint. Taking a deep breath of his own, he refreshed his brush and started to paint Akira’s erection. He let the brush tease the very tip, hearing Akira gasp, his hips pressing upwards automatically.

“Try… and keep still…”

Yusuke said in a low and gentle voice, unable to contain his smile when Akira relaxed again, trying his best to obey his command. Yusuke swirled the brush around the head, no longer outlining but giving it color now instead. He moved up and down the shaft, being careful as the organ twitched sometimes against his brush. He knew Akira couldn’t help this one. He noticed Akira’s legs trembling slightly.

“Almost done… you’re doing great,” Yusuke said, to that Akira just made a non-committal grunt. He was clearly distracted. Yusuke finished the color, leaving no part untouched.

“Now, I have to fill in my other lines… that’s okay right?” He heard no response and became concerned.

“Akira?”

“Huh? What? Oh yeah yeah. Whatever go ahead.” Akira was speaking in a rushed voice. Yusuke wondered about it, but Akira really didn’t seem to be complaining.

 If he didn’t label himself a professional, he'd be tempted to be physical with Akira now; maybe he’d go in for the kiss at last. But he was a man dedicated to his work, and now it wasn’t appropriate.

He felt a bit guilty for those thoughts as he began to add colors to fill in his designs. Thoughts like that could distract from the work at hand. It took time of course, but eventually, Akira had color from his thighs, to his waistline. He still had his upper body to conquer. Through this Akira had remained mostly silent besides the occasional sigh or deep breath, his eyes still remained closed the entire time. As he got used to things, it seemed his excitement calmed as well. Yusuke took a chance to remark.

“Feeling better?” He asked in a soothing yet teasing voice, beginning the journey of color up the rest of his friend’s body.

“The brush feels better than I thought,” Akira said, his eyes fluttering opened then.

“Besides, no one other than me has touched anywhere near there.”

Yusuke was shocked at that confession. Someone as charming as Akira… he assumed he’d gotten more than friendly with someone by now. He berated himself for feeling relieved that he hadn’t. While there may have been hints Akira had liked him back, those also could be recognized as simply being nice.

Yusuke opted to not reply as he merely continued painting. After a full hour and a half, the work was done. He stood up and looked Akira over, contemplating.

“How do you feel?” He asked, after a moment.

“Stiff.”

Yusuke laughed at his response and urged him to stand. He carefully did so and looked down at the paint curiously. He had no wall mirror, so he’d have to rely on cell phone pictures later to see the end result.

“You can sit for your back, but I’m afraid you’ll have to stand for the final portion,” Yusuke reminded him, kneeling down to clean his brushes for round two.

“Can I stand for the whole thing? It’ll test my endurance,” Akira joked about the last bit, but he didn’t really feel like sitting. He stood up for hours at a time anyway when he worked at the convenience store.

“If it pleases you,” Yusuke said, not minding.

“If you don’t mind, I’m going to take your unused table to place my supplies.”

Akira nodded and Yusuke fetched the rickety little table that sat in front of the couch. He really thought Akira ought to get a TV or a plant or SOMETHING to give it life, but for now, he was glad for less work. He transported his supplies onto the table hoping it wouldn’t collapse or something as it looked rather worn down, but it held surprisingly well.

“Turn around.”

Akira obeyed the command.  Yusuke felt his face gradually gaining heat. For some reason, he found Akira’s backside more appealing than the front—not that the front lacked in any way. He fought to keep focus as he started making lines on Akira’s back with an unsteady hand.

“You’re shaking,” Akira said plainly, though Yusuke could have sworn there was a certain softness to his voice.

His face was bright red since his shakiness was noticed, and was grateful his friend could not see the expression he wore. He could feel embarrassment coursing through his being.

“Don’t question my methods. This particular vision requires unsteady lines,” Yusuke lied.

He went with his lie though and made the wavy lines work to his favor. It was different, but that’s what he wanted to discover in the first place, his uniqueness. He abandoned his lines for a moment and went purely for color, dabbing different base colors down the length of his spine to just above his tailbone. He was surprised that Akira remained firm as a statue during this. Perhaps he had gotten used to the brush.

After this he finished the lining on Akira’s back and took time again, filling in the different colors. He would embellish this all at the very end. After that was finished he knelt down and did his legs, finding that Akira finally squirmed when he painted the backs of his knees.

All that was left were the curves of his backside. He stood up again for this, wondering his approach. He was not sure if it was out of selfishness or inspiration and he didn’t think much about it as he squeezed a nickel sized amount of paint into the palm of each of his hands. After he did so, each hand pressed again each cheek and he began to knead.

He heard Akira gasp at the initial contact, but after that, he didn’t make a sound. The effect was messy and not at all artistic. Yusuke had to admit that this was just an excuse now. An excuse to touch Akira more intimately. Though, he did start to like the mixture of colors the paint had made so his guilty conscience fell back a little.

“I didn’t think being painted was going to feel so good,” Akira said when Yusuke was finished.

“Well, I’m glad you’re not entirely bored out of your wits then,” Yusuke said with laughter to follow.

All he had to do now was fill in the spaces on Akira’s sides, fix up his arms and legs, and then add the finishing touches. This went a lot faster than the rest of it had, but Yusuke admitted to himself that he had taken his sweet time.

Akira was finally covered. He looked like a living, breathing version of a more obscure planetarium – only he was missing a few things. The constellations for one, and the planets for two.  Yusuke painted those in where necessary, flicking specks of paint off the bristles of his stiffest brushes for some of the stars, grinning in amusement when it sometimes made Akira laugh.

“I believe we are done here,” Yusuke said, at last, setting down the sponge he was using to blend certain shapes.

 He stepped back a bit and used his fingers to form a frame around Akira as he often did, and observed that once again it was picture perfect. The paint on his hands was dry by now, so he pulled out his cell phone and swiped on the camera.

“Pose if you find it necessary,”

He said, pointing the lens at Akira. He smirked when his friend took a rather elegant stance, but it was a bit over the top. Still, he managed to pull it off. He did a few other poses, some of them ridiculous, some of them stern, but Yusuke managed to take many shots.

Akira came over curiously and Yusuke handed him his phone, as the paint was dried. Akira’s reactions varied as he scrolled through the photos. Laughing at some, contemplating others. Though he came to a particular one that made him gasp softly. Everything about it was aesthetically pleasing.

“This is the one. I don’t know what you should use it for, but…” Akira trailed off, handing the phone back to its rightful owner.

“Maybe a phone background?” Akira looked at Yusuke in shock at that suggestion, causing the taller boy to smile pleasantly.

“It’s for the sake of art, and you were my inspiration. This piece – combined with you, helped me create something that’s unmatched. Now if I can translate it onto an actual canvas… this will serve as an appropriate motivator.”

Akira sighed at those words, smiled, and shook his head.

“So now I guess I have to worry about washing this off…. And painting my room,” Akira grimaced, remembering the lie they told Ann.

 He didn’t really mind if anyone saw him painted but at the same time, he wanted it to be for Yusuke’s eyes only. But on the other hand painting the walls right now just seemed like a big chore he didn’t want to deal with after stiffly laying and standing for hours.

“We’ll just tell her it will take more than one day. And as you know, I love to paint. Leave the designing to me in my free time, and your walls will be bright with color. While I picked out the nontoxic paints for you, Ann unknowingly picked paints that aren’t meant for human skin. We’ve accidentally hatched the perfect plan,” Yusuke said.

Akira grinned.

“Can’t wait to see the mission completed.”


End file.
